Orioles score six in 10th inning to top White Sox

Published April 17, 2012

| Sports Network

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Chicago, IL – Nolan Reimold and Adam Jones each belted solo home runs in the top of the ninth to send the game to extra innings before the Orioles posted six runs in the 10th to take a 10-4 victory over the White Sox in the opener of a four-game series at U.S. Cellular Field on Monday.

Trailing 4-2 in the ninth, Reimold led off the frame with a home run off
Hector Santiago before Jones lifted a two-out game-tying blast over the wall
in left-center field.

After Pedro Strop (1-0) tossed a perfect bottom half, Mark Reynolds launched a
fly ball to deep center field off of Zach Stewart (0-1) to start the 10th.
Centerfielder Alejandro De Aza was camped under it on the warning track, but
the ball dropped in just over his glove as Reynolds cruised into third on the
error to start the rally.

Chris Davis then launched a go-ahead double to left, and Robert Andino
followed with an infield single before Reimold made it 6-4 with an RBI single.

Matt Wieters put the exclamation point on the Baltimore comeback, ripping a
3-2 slider into the bullpen in left field for a grand slam and a 10-4 Orioles'
lead.

Strop pitched a perfect bottom of the 10th as well while starter Jake Arrieta
allowed four runs -- two earned -- on seven hits with seven strikeouts over 6
2/3 innings. Wieters added a solo shot in the seventh en route to five RBI and
Davis added three hits for the Orioles, who have won three of their last four
games.

"I felt good. I was really able to locate my sinker away from right-handed
hitters," said Arrieta, who tossed a career-high 114 pitches. "My arm feels
great and I was able to control my off-speed pitches as well. I pounded the
zone and was very aggressive."

Stewart was charged with only one earned run despite seeing six O's cross the
plate in his one inning of work. A.J. Pierzynksi finished 3-for-3 with a homer
and Paul Konerko knocked in two runs. Chicago has now dropped two straight on
the heels of a four-game win streak.

Pierzynski opened the scoring in the bottom of the second, launching a 3-1
slider into the seats in right to give Chicago the early 1-0 lead.

The O's answered in the top of the fourth as Jones and Wieters stroked
consecutive singles to open the frame. Reynolds then plated Jones two batters
later, lacing a double into the gap in right-center field to tie the game at
1-1.

Chicago broke the tie in the sixth, putting the first two runners on when De
Aza hit a leadoff single and Brent Morel reached safely on an error from Davis
at first base. After Adam Dunn whiffed, Konerko sliced a double into the
right-field corner, scoring De Aza and Morel to put Chicago on top 3-1.

Dayan Viciedo singled to start the bottom of the seventh before being lifted
for pinch-runner Brent Lillibridge. Lillibridge quickly swiped second and
advanced to third on catcher Wieters throwing error.

Reimold retired De Aza with an acrobatic catch in foul territory, but
Lillibridge was able to tag up and score as Reimold went tumbling into the
seats down the left-field line, giving Chicago a 4-1 lead.

Baltimore got one back in the eighth as Wieters made up for his throwing error
in the seventh, lifting Jesse Crain's fourth offering into the seats in
left field and trimming the deficit to 4-2.

Game Notes

Baltimore split its eight games with the White Sox last season...Jones has hit
in 10-straight games to open the season and has hit in 12 straight games
dating back to September 26, 2011...Phil Humber made his first start of the
season for Chicago, allowing just one run on six hits and three walks while
striking out seven over 5 1/3 innings of work...Konerko owns a nine-game hit
streak to open the season...Tuesday's matchup features two lefties as Wei-Yin
Chen takes the mound for Baltimore against John Danks for the White Sox.